Compare towns
Brookfield vs Lancaster vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($202k median).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Brookfield | Lancaster | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
10,113Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
45.1±4.7Lowest 16% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$66,148±$7kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$202,200±$16kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$969±$169Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,932Highest 58% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±19 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.